Method for installing subscriber profile and electronic device therefor

ABSTRACT

Various embodiments relate to a method and an electronic device for installing a subscriber profile. The method includes obtaining network operator-related information. The method also includes identifying whether download of an embedded subscriber identity module (eSIM) profile is allowed based on the network operator-related information. The method further includes downloading the eSIM profile when download of the eSIM profile is allowed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 toKorean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0036087 filed on Mar. 28, 2019 inthe Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which isherein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

Various embodiments relate to a method for installing a subscriberprofile and an electronic device therefor.

2. Description of Related Art

A universal integrated circuit card (UICC) is a smart card which isinserted into a mobile communication terminal for use. A UICC may storepersonal information about a mobile communication subscriber and enablesthe use of secure mobile communication via subscriber authentication andtraffic security key in accessing to a mobile communication network.

A UICC is manufactured as a dedicated card for a particular mobilecommunication operator by request of the operator at the time ofmanufacture of the card and may be released with authenticationinformation of the operator for network access, for example, a universalsubscriber identity module (USIM) application and an internationalmobile subscriber identity (IMSI), loaded in advance. The mobilecommunication operator receives the manufactured UICC card and providesthe UICC card for a subscriber. If necessary, it is possible to manage,for example, install, modify, or delete, an application in the UICC cardusing an over-the-air (OTA) technology or the like. The subscriber mayinsert the UICC card into a mobile communication terminal to use anetwork and an application service of the mobile communication operator.When the existing terminal is replaced with a new terminal, thesubscriber can insert the UICC card into the new terminal, thereby usingthe same authentication information, mobile phone number, and personalcontacts as stored in the UICC card in the new terminal.

A UICC can be replaced by embedding a security module performing afunction similar to that of a UICC in a mobile communication terminal atthe time of manufacture of the terminal. Therefore, an embeddeduniversal integrated circuit card (eUICC) structure, which is anundetachable UICC, has been proposed.

The above information is presented as background information only toassist with an understanding of the disclosure. No determination hasbeen made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the abovemight be applicable as prior art with regard to the disclosure.

SUMMARY

Network lock may be restricting the use of an electronic device to blocknetwork-related functions when an invalid subscriber identity module(SIM) card is inserted into the electronic device with a valid SIM cardinserted. For example, when restrictions are imposed so that anelectronic device released in a country can recognize only a SIM card ofa network operator of the country or can recognize only a SIM card of aspecified network operator in the country, network lock may occur to theelectronic device. When the invalid SIM card is a plastic SIM card,network lock may be released by physically removing the invalid plasticcard from the electronic device having the network lock. When theinvalid SIM card is an embedded subscriber identity module (eSIM) card,it is impossible to remove the invalid eSIM card from the electronicdevice having network lock, and thus network-related functions may beblocked.

Various embodiments provide a method for installing a subscriber profileand an electronic device thereof.

According to various embodiments, an operating method of an electronicdevice may include: obtaining network operator-related information;identifying whether download of an embedded subscriber identity module(eSIM) profile is allowed based on the network operator-relatedinformation; and downloading the eSIM profile when download of the eSIMprofile is allowed.

According to various embodiments, an electronic device may include: adisplay; a communication unit; and a processor configured to beoperatively connected to the display and the communication unit. Theprocessor may perform control to: obtain network operator-relatedinformation; identify whether download of an embedded subscriberidentity module (eSIM) profile is allowed based on the networkoperator-related information; and download the eSIM profile whendownload of the eSIM profile is allowed.

A method and an electronic device thereof according to variousembodiments may identify in advance whether network lock occurs beforedownloading an embedded subscriber identity module (eSIM) profile,thereby preventing network lock which occurs by downloading an eSIMprofile.

Further, a method and an electronic device thereof according to variousembodiments may obtain information about a network operator which causesnetwork lock, thus configuring a list of network operators which allowdownload of an eSIM profile.

Before undertaking the DETAILED DESCRIPTION below, it may beadvantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases usedthroughout this patent document: the terms “include” and “comprise,” aswell as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation; the term“or,” is inclusive, meaning and/or; the phrases “associated with” and“associated therewith,” as well as derivatives thereof, may mean toinclude, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be containedwithin, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with,cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to orwith, have, have a property of, or the like; and the term “controller”means any device, system or part thereof that controls at least oneoperation, such a device may be implemented in hardware, firmware orsoftware, or some combination of at least two of the same. It should benoted that the functionality associated with any particular controllermay be centralized or distributed, whether locally or remotely.

Moreover, various functions described below can be implemented orsupported by one or more computer programs, each of which is formed fromcomputer readable program code and embodied in a computer readablemedium. The terms “application” and “program” refer to one or morecomputer programs, software components, sets of instructions,procedures, functions, objects, classes, instances, related data, or aportion thereof adapted for implementation in a suitable computerreadable program code. The phrase “computer readable program code”includes any type of computer code, including source code, object code,and executable code. The phrase “computer readable medium” includes anytype of medium capable of being accessed by a computer, such as readonly memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), a hard disk drive, acompact disc (CD), a digital video disc (DVD), or any other type ofmemory. A “non-transitory” computer readable medium excludes wired,wireless, optical, or other communication links that transporttransitory electrical or other signals. A non-transitory computerreadable medium includes media where data can be permanently stored andmedia where data can be stored and later overwritten, such as arewritable optical disc or an erasable memory device.

Definitions for certain words and phrases are provided throughout thispatent document, those of ordinary skill in the art should understandthat in many, if not most instances, such definitions apply to prior, aswell as future uses of such defined words and phrases.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and itsadvantages, reference is now made to the following description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like referencenumerals represent like parts:

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an electronic device in a networkenvironment according to various embodiments;

FIG. 2 illustrates a system including an electronic device that supportsan embedded subscriber identity module (eSIM) function according tovarious embodiments;

FIG. 3 illustrates a method for preventing network lock occurring in anelectronic device before installing a subscriber profile according tovarious embodiments;

FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of an electronic device forinstalling a subscriber profile according to various embodiments;

FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart of an electronic device for installing asubscriber profile according to various embodiments;

FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart of an electronic device for installing asubscriber profile based on metadata of the subscriber profile receivedfrom a first server according to various embodiments;

FIG. 7A illustrates a flowchart of an electronic device for updating anMNO list based on information about an MNO received from a second serveraccording to various embodiments;

FIG. 7B illustrates a screen of an electronic device including an MNOlist for the electronic device to install a subscriber profile accordingto various embodiments;

FIG. 8A illustrates a flowchart of an electronic device for displaying awarning about installing a subscriber profile according to variousembodiments; and

FIG. 8B illustrates a screen of an electronic device including a warningmessage before the electronic device installs a subscriber profileaccording to various embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 through 8B, discussed below, and the various embodiments used todescribe the principles of the present disclosure in this patentdocument are by way of illustration only and should not be construed inany way to limit the scope of the disclosure. Those skilled in the artwill understand that the principles of the present disclosure may beimplemented in any suitably arranged system or device.

Hereinafter, various embodiments will be described in detail withreference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an electronic device 101 in anetwork environment 100 according to various embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 1, the electronic device 101 in the networkenvironment 100 may communicate with an electronic device 102 via afirst network 198 (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network),or an electronic device 104 or a server 108 via a second network 199(e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). According to anembodiment, the electronic device 101 may communicate with theelectronic device 104 via the server 108. According to an embodiment,the electronic device 101 may include a processor 120, memory 130, aninput device 150, a sound output device 155, a display device 160, anaudio module 170, a sensor module 176, an interface 177, a haptic module179, a camera module 180, a power management module 188, a battery 189,a communication module 190, a subscriber identification module(SIM) 196,or an antenna module 197. In some embodiments, at least one (e.g., thedisplay device 160 or the camera module 180) of the components may beomitted from the electronic device 101, or one or more other componentsmay be added in the electronic device 101. In some embodiments, some ofthe components may be implemented as single integrated circuitry. Forexample, the sensor module 176 (e.g., a fingerprint sensor, an irissensor, or an illuminance sensor) may be implemented as embedded in thedisplay device 160 (e.g., a display).

The processor 120 may execute, for example, software (e.g., a program140) to control at least one other component (e.g., a hardware orsoftware component) of the electronic device 101 coupled with theprocessor 120, and may perform various data processing or computation.According to one embodiment, as at least part of the data processing orcomputation, the processor 120 may load a command or data received fromanother component (e.g., the sensor module 176 or the communicationmodule 190) in volatile memory 132, process the command or the datastored in the volatile memory 132, and store resulting data innon-volatile memory 134. According to an embodiment, the processor 120may include a main processor 121 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU)or an application processor (AP)), and an auxiliary processor 123 (e.g.,a graphics processing unit (GPU), an image signal processor (ISP), asensor hub processor, or a communication processor (CP)) that isoperable independently from, or in conjunction with, the main processor121. Additionally or alternatively, the auxiliary processor 123 may beadapted to consume less power than the main processor 121, or to bespecific to a specified function. The auxiliary processor 123 may beimplemented as separate from, or as part of the main processor 121.

The auxiliary processor 123 may control at least some of functions orstates related to at least one component (e.g., the display device 160,the sensor module 176, or the communication module 190) among thecomponents of the electronic device 101, instead of the main processor121 while the main processor 121 is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state,or together with the main processor 121 while the main processor 121 isin an active state (e.g., executing an application). According to anembodiment, the auxiliary processor 123 (e.g., an image signal processoror a communication processor) may be implemented as part of anothercomponent (e.g., the camera module 180 or the communication module 190)functionally related to the auxiliary processor 123.

The memory 130 may store various data used by at least one component(e.g., the processor 120 or the sensor module 176) of the electronicdevice 101. The various data may include, for example, software (e.g.,the program 140) and input data or output data for a command relatedthereto. The memory 130 may include the volatile memory 132 or thenon-volatile memory 134.

The program 140 may be stored in the memory 130 as software, and mayinclude, for example, an operating system (OS) 142, middleware 144, oran application 146.

The input device 150 may receive a command or data to be used by othercomponent (e.g., the processor 120) of the electronic device 101, fromthe outside (e.g., a user) of the electronic device 101. The inputdevice 150 may include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, a keyboard,or a digital pen (e.g., a stylus pen).

The sound output device 155 may output sound signals to the outside ofthe electronic device 101. The sound output device 155 may include, forexample, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker may be used for generalpurposes, such as playing multimedia or playing record, and the receivermay be used for an incoming calls. According to an embodiment, thereceiver may be implemented as separate from, or as part of the speaker.

The display device 160 may visually provide information to the outside(e.g., a user) of the electronic device 101. The display device 160 mayinclude, for example, a display, a hologram device, or a projector andcontrol circuitry to control a corresponding one of the display,hologram device, and projector. According to an embodiment, the displaydevice 160 may include touch circuitry adapted to detect a touch, orsensor circuitry (e.g., a pressure sensor) adapted to measure theintensity of force incurred by the touch.

The audio module 170 may convert a sound into an electrical signal andvice versa. According to an embodiment, the audio module 170 may obtainthe sound via the input device 150, or output the sound via the soundoutput device 155 or a headphone of an external electronic device (e.g.,an electronic device 102) directly (e.g., wiredly) or wirelessly coupledwith the electronic device 101.

The sensor module 176 may detect an operational state (e.g., power ortemperature) of the electronic device 101 or an environmental state(e.g., a state of a user) external to the electronic device 101, andthen generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to thedetected state. According to an embodiment, the sensor module 176 mayinclude, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, an atmosphericpressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gripsensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, abiometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or anilluminance sensor.

The interface 177 may support one or more specified protocols to be usedfor the electronic device 101 to be coupled with the external electronicdevice (e.g., the electronic device 102) directly (e.g., wiredly) orwirelessly. According to an embodiment, the interface 177 may include,for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universalserial bus (USB) interface, a secure digital (SD) card interface, or anaudio interface.

A connecting terminal 178 may include a connector via which theelectronic device 101 may be physically connected with the externalelectronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102). According to anembodiment, the connecting terminal 178 may include, for example, a HDMIconnector, a USB connector, a SD card connector, or an audio connector(e.g., a headphone connector).

The haptic module 179 may convert an electrical signal into a mechanicalstimulus (e.g., a vibration or a movement) or electrical stimulus whichmay be recognized by a user via his tactile sensation or kinestheticsensation. According to an embodiment, the haptic module 179 mayinclude, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electricstimulator.

The camera module 180 may capture a still image or moving images.According to an embodiment, the camera module 180 may include one ormore lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

The power management module 188 may manage power supplied to theelectronic device 101. According to one embodiment, the power managementmodule 188 may be implemented as at least part of, for example, a powermanagement integrated circuit (PMIC).

The battery 189 may supply power to at least one component of theelectronic device 101. According to an embodiment, the battery 189 mayinclude, for example, a primary cell which is not rechargeable, asecondary cell which is rechargeable, or a fuel cell.

The communication module 190 may support establishing a direct (e.g.,wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel betweenthe electronic device 101 and the external electronic device (e.g., theelectronic device 102, the electronic device 104, or the server 108) andperforming communication via the established communication channel. Thecommunication module 190 may include one or more communicationprocessors that are operable independently from the processor 120 (e.g.,the application processor (AP)) and supports a direct (e.g., wired)communication or a wireless communication. According to an embodiment,the communication module 190 may include a wireless communication module192 (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wirelesscommunication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS)communication module) or a wired communication module 194 (e.g., a localarea network (LAN) communication module or a power line communication(PLC) module). A corresponding one of these communication modules maycommunicate with the external electronic device via the first network198 (e.g., a short-range communication network, such as Bluetooth,wireless-fidelity (Wi-Fi) direct, or infrared data association (IrDA))or the second network 199 (e.g., a long-range communication network,such as a cellular network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g.,LAN or wide area network (WAN)). These various types of communicationmodules may be implemented as a single component (e.g., a single chip),or may be implemented as multi components (e.g., multi chips) separatefrom each other. The wireless communication module 192 may identify andauthenticate the electronic device 101 in a communication network, suchas the first network 198 or the second network 199, using subscriberinformation (e.g., international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI))stored in the SIM 196.

The antenna module 197 may transmit or receive a signal or power to orfrom the outside (e.g., the external electronic device) of theelectronic device 101. According to an embodiment, the antenna module197 may include a plurality of antennas. In such a case, at least oneantenna appropriate for a communication scheme used in the communicationnetwork, such as the first network 198 or the second network 199, may beselected, for example, by the communication module 190 (e.g., thewireless communication module 192) from the plurality of antennas. Thesignal or the power may then be transmitted or received between thecommunication module 190 and the external electronic device via theselected at least one antenna.

At least some of the above-described components may be coupled mutuallyand communicate signals (e.g., commands or data) therebetween via aninter-peripheral communication scheme (e.g., a bus, general purposeinput and output (GPIO), serial peripheral interface (SPI), or mobileindustry processor interface (MIPI)).

According to an embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted orreceived between the electronic device 101 and the external electronicdevice 104 via the server 108 coupled with the second network 199. Eachof the electronic devices 102 and 104 may be a device of a same type as,or a different type, from the electronic device 101. According to anembodiment, all or some of operations to be executed at the electronicdevice 101 may be executed at one or more of the external electronicdevices 102, 104, or 108. For example, if the electronic device 101should perform a function or a service automatically, or in response toa request from a user or another device, the electronic device 101,instead of, or in addition to, executing the function or the service,may request the one or more external electronic devices to perform atleast part of the function or the service. The one or more externalelectronic devices receiving the request may perform the at least partof the function or the service requested, or an additional function oran additional service related to the request, and transfer an outcome ofthe performing to the electronic device 101. The electronic device 101may provide the outcome, with or without further processing of theoutcome, as at least part of a reply to the request. To that end, acloud computing, distributed computing, or client-server computingtechnology may be used, for example.

FIG. 2 illustrates a system including an electronic device that supportsan embedded subscriber identity module (eSIM) function according tovarious embodiments.

An eSIM may be embedded in the electronic device 210, and the electronicdevice 210 may access an external server to download a profile of theeSIM in a software package. To remove the eSIM, software correspondingto the eSIM may be deleted from the electronic device 210. The eSIM is alogical concept and may exist physically inside an embedded universalintegrated circuit card (eUICC) 212.

Referring to FIG. 2, the electronic device 210 (e.g., the electronicdevice 102 of FIG. 1) may include a local profile assistant in thedevice (LPAd) 211 and the eUICC 212. The LPAd 211 may be a softwaremodule installed in the electronic device 210. The LPAd 211 may assistin installing the profile of the eSIM, downloaded from the externalserver (e.g., a subscription manager for data preparation (SM-DP) 230),in the eUICC. For example, the LPAd 211 may retrieve the externalserver, may download the profile of the eSIM, and may forward theprofile to the eUICC. The LPAd 211 may deactivate or remove a previouslyinstalled eSIM profile. The LPAd 211 may include a local discoveryservice when a local profile assistant (LPA) is in the device (LDSd),which manages a connection between a subscription manager discoveryserver (SM-DS) 240 and the LPAd 211, a local profile download when theLPA is in the device (LPDd), which manages download of an eSIM profile,and a local user interface when the LPA is in the device (LUId), whichmanages a user interface (UI) of the LPAd 211. The eUICC 212 may be aphysical card in which an eSIM profile is installed.

An operator 220 may be an operator that provides a wireless networkservice for the electronic device 210. For example, when the electronicdevice 210 makes a network subscription request to the operator 220 tojoin the network, the operator 220 may generate an eSIM profile based onpersonal information about the electronic device 210 and may provide thegenerated eSIM profile to the SM-DP. The SM-DP 230 may be a server thatstores the eSIM profile of the electronic device 210. For example, theelectronic device 210 supporting the eSIM function may retrieve theSM-DP to connect to an SM-DP server and may retrieve and download theeSIM profile of the electronic device 210 from the SM-DP. An SM-DS 240may be a server that retrieves the SM-DP 230 requested by the electronicdevice 210. The electronic device 210 may connect directly to the SM-DP230 without passing through the SM-DS 240. A certificate issuer (CI) 250may issue a certificate for eSIM provisioning. An eUICC manufacturer(EUM) may be an entity that manufactures an eUICC.

A specific process for downloading the eSIM profile of the electronicdevice 210 is as follows. The electronic device 210 may make asubscription request through an operator 220.

The operator 220 may generate an eSIM profile corresponding to thesubscription request of the electronic device 210 and may transmit thegenerated eSIM profile to the SM-DP 230. The electronic device 210 mayaccess the SM-DS 240 through the LPAd 211 and may receive an address ofthe SM-DP 230. The electronic device 210 may access the address of theSM-DP 230 received through the LPAd 211. The SM-DP 230 may perform apredefined authentication process, may segment the stored eSIM profileof the electronic device 210, and may transmit the segmented eSIMprofile to the LPAd 211 of the electronic device 210. The LPAd 211 maytransmit eSIM profile data of the received eSIM profile to the eUICC 212based on a standard protocol. The transmitted eSIM profile data may beinstalled as one eSIM profile based on an internal mechanism of theeUICC 212. The LPAd 211 may activate the installed eSIM profile, whichmay be similar to inserting a plastic SIM card.

FIG. 3 illustrates a method for preventing network lock occurring in anelectronic device 101 before installing a subscriber profile accordingto various embodiments. Referring to FIG. 3, the electronic device 101may include a plastic SIM card 310 and an eUICC 320 with an eSIM profilenot downloaded. The electronic device 101 may download an eSIM profilethrough a network of the plastic SIM card 310. After downloading theeSIM profile, the electronic device 101 may activate the eSIM profile inthe eUICC 320 and may determine whether network lock occurs through alock validity check process. For example, the network lock may be forputting a restriction so that the electronic device 101 may use anetwork only with a SIM card having a specific operator's mobile countrycode (MCC) and/or mobile network code (MNC). With the network lock set,when a SIM card having a different MCC and/or MNC that is not allowed isinserted, a network-related function of the electronic device 101 may beblocked. An MCC is a three-digit country identification code stored in aSIM profile, and may be used to specify a country since each country hasone MCC. An MNC is a network operator identification code, and oneoperator may have one or more MNCs in a single country. For example, acombination of an MNC and an MCC may specify an operator. Since a mobilevirtual network operator (MVNO) may rent and use a different operator'scircuit network, it may be impossible to distinguish between operatorsthrough an MCC and an MNC, and thus a group identifier (GID) may befurther used for reference. An integrated circuit card identifier(ICCID) is a 19-digit serial code stored in a SIM profile and may have aunique ICCID value for the SIM profile.

After the electronic device 101 activates the downloaded eSIM profile,when network lock occurs in the electronic device 101, thenetwork-related function may be blocked, and the electronic device 101may be in a state in which a general phone call or data communication isnot supported.

According to various embodiments, to prevent network lock from occurringin the electronic device 101, the electronic device 101 may checkwhether network lock has occurred before downloading the eSIM profile.According to one embodiment, the electronic device 101 may requestnetwork operator-related information from an external server (e.g., theserver 108 of FIG. 1 or the SM-DP 230 of FIG. 2) before downloading theeSIM profile. The electronic device 101 may extract identificationinformation, such as an MCC, an MNC, GID1, or GID2, based on thereceived network operator-related information. The electronic device 101may check whether download of the eSIM profile is allowed based on theextracted identification information, thereby preventing network lock inadvance.

FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of an electronic device 101 forinstalling a subscriber profile according to various embodiments.Referring to FIG. 4, the electronic device 101 may include a processor410 (e.g., the processor 120 of FIG. 1), an eUICC 420 (e.g., the SIM 196of FIG. 1), a memory 430 (e.g., the memory 130 of FIG. 1), a display 440(e.g., the display device 160 of FIG. 1), and/or a communication unit450 (e.g., the communication module 190 of FIG. 1).

The processor 410 may control the overall operation of the electronicdevice 101. For example, the processor 410 may control at least oneother component (e.g., a hardware or software component) connected tothe processor 410 and may perform various types of data processing oroperations. According to one embodiment, as at least part of the dataprocessing or operations, the processor 410 may load a command or datareceived from another component into the memory 430, may process acommand or data stored in the memory 430, and may store the resultingdata in the memory 430. According to one embodiment, the processor 410may perform control to obtain network operator-related information froma first server 460 (e.g., the SM-DP 230 of FIG. 2) or a second server470 (e.g., the server 108 of FIG. 1)) through a network (e.g., thesecond network 199 of FIG. 1) and to check whether the electronic device101 is allowed to download an eSIM profile based on the networkoperator-related information. When downloading the eSIM profile isallowed, the processor 410 may perform control to download the eSIMprofile. When downloading the eSIM profile is not allowed, the processor410 may perform control to stop downloading the eSIM profile or todisplay a warning message on the display 440.

The processor 410 may include an eSIM controller 411 and/or a locksetting unit 412. These components of the processor 410 may beconfigured in hardware, in software, or in a combination of hardware andsoftware.

The eSIM controller 411 may collect advance information about the eSIMprofile to be downloaded via a connection to the first server 460 (e.g.,the SM-DP 230 of FIG. 2) or the second server 470 (e.g., the server 108of FIG. 1)) through the second network 199. The eSIM controller 411 mayinclude an LPAd, an LDSd, an LPDd, and/or an LUId. The advanceinformation about the eSIM profile may be network operator-relatedinformation specifying a network operator of the eSIM profile. Accordingto one embodiment, the advance information about the eSIM profile may bestored in advance in the memory 430 of the electronic device 101. Forexample, the network operator-related information may be informationavailable to identify the network operator and may include, for example,at least one of eSIM profile metadata, an MCC, an MNC, GID1, GID2,and/or an ICCID. The lock setting unit 412 may check whether networklock occurs in the electronic device 101 based on the collected advanceinformation about the eSIM profile. For example, the lock setting unit412 may compare the advance information about the eSIM profile with locksetting information about the electronic device 101 stored in the memory430, thereby determining whether network lock occurs in the electronicdevice 101.

The eUICC 420 may be a physical card in which the eSIM profile requestedby the electronic device 101 is installed. For example, the electronicdevice 101 may identify and authenticate the electronic device 101within a communication network (e.g., the first network 198 or thesecond network 199 of FIG. 1) using subscriber information (e.g., aninternational mobile subscriber Identity (IMSI)) stored in the eUICC420.

The memory 430 may store various data used by at least one component(e.g., the processor 410) of the electronic device 101. The data mayinclude, for example, software, the lock setting information about theelectronic device 101, and input data or output data about a commandassociated therewith.

The display 440 may visually and/or audibly provide information to theelectronic device 101. For example, the display 440 may include, forexample, at least one light emitting diode (LED), a speaker, or acontrol circuit for controlling a display and may output a sound throughan audio output device or an external device (e.g., a speaker or aheadphone) connected directly or wirelessly to the electronic device101.

The communication unit 450 may support establishing a direct (e.g.,wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel betweenthe electronic device 101 and the first server 460 or the second server470 and performing communication through the established communicationchannel. According to one embodiment, the communication unit 450 mayinclude a wireless communication module (e.g., a cellular communicationmodule, a short-range wireless communication module, or a globalnavigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wiredcommunication module (e.g., a local area network (LAN) communicationmodule or a power-line communication module). Among these communicationmodules, a corresponding communication module may communicate with anexternal electronic device via the first network (e.g., a short-rangecommunication network including a BLUETOOTH, Wi-Fi direct, or infrareddata association (IrDA) network) or a network (e.g., a long-rangecommunication network including a cellular network, the Internet, or acomputer network (e.g., a LAN or WAN)). These various types ofcommunication modules may be integrated into one component (e.g., asingle chip) or may be configured as a plurality of separate components(e.g., a plurality of chips). According to one embodiment, thecommunication unit 450 may include a framework for processing data in astandard manner for communication with the first server 460 or thesecond server 470.

FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart 500 of an electronic device 101 forinstalling a subscriber profile according to various embodiments. Thesubject of operations in the flowchart 500 illustrated in FIG. 5 may beunderstood as the electronic device 101 or a component (e.g., theprocessor 410) of the electronic device 101.

Referring to FIG. 5, in operation 501, the electronic device 101 (e.g.,the processor 410) may obtain network operator-related information. Forexample, the electronic device 101 may receive the networkoperator-related information from a first server 460 (e.g., the SM-DP230 of FIG. 2) or a second server 470 (e.g., the server 108 of FIG. 1)through a network. The network operator-related information may beinformation available to identify a network operator and may include,for example, at least one of eSIM profile metadata, an MCC, an MNC,GID1, GID2, and/or an ICCID. According to various embodiments, thenetwork operator-related information may be stored in advance in amemory (e.g., the memory 430 of FIG. 4) of the electronic device 101.According to various embodiments, the network operator-relatedinformation may be stored in advance as a code in the memory of theelectronic device 101, and the electronic device 101 may use the networkoperator-related information stored in advance without going through thenetwork. For example, the electronic device 101 may import networkoperator-related information corresponding to a subscribed MNO from thememory and may check whether download of an eSIM profile is allowedbased on the network operator-related information.

In operation 503, the electronic device 101 may check whether downloadof an eSIM profile is allowed based on the network operator-relatedinformation. For example, the electronic device 101 may extractidentification information based on the network operator-relatedinformation. The identification information may be information foridentifying a network operator and may include, for example, at leastone of an MCC, an MNC, GID1, and and/or GID2. The electronic device 101may compare the extracted identification information with lock settinginformation, thereby checking whether download of the eSIM profile isallowed. The lock setting information may include information aboutnetwork operators which may lock a network or information about networkoperators which allow download of the eSIM profile. For example, thelock setting information may include at least one of an MCC, an MNC,GID1 and/or GID2. According to one embodiment, when the lock settinginformation includes information about network operators which may locka network, the electronic device 101 may specify a network operatorthrough the identification information, and may stop downloading theeSIM profile when the specified network operator is included in thenetwork operators which may lock a network of the lock settinginformation. According to one embodiment, when the lock settinginformation includes information about network operators which allowdownload of the eSIM profile, the electronic device 101 may specify anetwork operator through the identification information, and may stopdownloading the eSIM profile when the specified network operator is notincluded in the network operators which allow download of the eSIMprofile of the lock setting information.

When download of the eSIM profile is allowed, the electronic device 101may download the eSIM profile in operation 505. According to oneembodiment, when the lock setting information includes information aboutnetwork operators which may lock a network, the electronic device 101may specify a network operator through the identification information,and may download the eSIM profile when the specified network operator isnot included in the network operators which may lock a network of thelock setting information. According to one embodiment, when the locksetting information includes information about network operators whichallow download of the eSIM profile, the electronic device 101 mayspecify a network operator through the identification information, andmay download the eSIM profile when the specified network operator isincluded in the network operators which allow download of the eSIMprofile of the lock setting information.

FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart 600 of an electronic device 101 forinstalling a subscriber profile based on metadata of the subscriberprofile received from a first server according to various embodiments.The subject of operations in the flowchart 600 illustrated in FIG. 6 maybe understood as the electronic device 101 or a component (e.g., theprocessor 410) of the electronic device 101.

Referring to FIG. 6, in operation 601, the electronic device 101 (e.g.,the processor 410) may receive metadata about an eSIM profile from afirst server 460 (e.g., the SM-DP 230 of FIG. 2). For example, beforeaccessing the first server 460 and downloading the eSIM profile of theelectronic device 101, the electronic device 101 may request themetadata about the eSIM profile from the first server 460. The firstserver 460 may transmit the metadata about the eSIM profile to theelectronic device 101 in response to the request for the metadata aboutthe eSIM profile from the electronic device 101. The metadata about theeSIM profile may include at least one of the ICCID of the eSIM profile,a profile name, an operator/service provider name, a user's profilenickname, an icon, a profile class, notification configurationinformation, and a profile owner. The profile class may include any oneof test, operational, or provisioning. The profile owner may include atleast one of an MCC, an MNC, GID1, and/or GID2.

In operation 603, the electronic device 101 may extract identificationinformation from the received metadata about the eSIM profile. Theidentification information may be information for identifying a networkoperator and may include, for example, at least one of an MCC, an MNC,GID1, and/or GID2. The electronic device 101 may extract at least one ofthe MCC, the MNC, GID1, and/or GID2 included in the profile owner in thereceived metadata about the eSIM profile. According to one embodiment,the electronic device 101 may extract at least one of the MCC, the MNC,GID 1, and/or GID2 from the ICCID included in the metadata about theeSIM profile.

In operation 605, the electronic device 101 may determine whether anetwork is locked based on the extracted identification information. Forexample, the electronic device 101 may compare the identificationinformation with lock setting information previously stored in theelectronic device 101, thereby checking whether network lock occurs inthe electronic device 101. The lock setting information may includeinformation about network operators which may lock a network orinformation about network operators which allows download of the eSIMprofile. For example, the lock setting information may include at leastone of an MCC, an MNC, GID1 and/or GID2.

When it is determined that network lock does not occur in the electronicdevice 101, the electronic device 101 may download the eSIM profile inoperation 607. According to one embodiment, when the lock settinginformation includes information about network operators which may locka network, the electronic device 101 may specify a network operatorthrough the identification information, and may download the eSIMprofile when the specified network operator is not included in thenetwork operators which may lock a network of the lock settinginformation. According to one embodiment, when the lock settinginformation includes information about network operators which allowdownload of the eSIM, the electronic device 101 may specify a networkoperator through the identification information, and may download theeSIM profile when the specified network operator is included in thenetwork operators which allow download of the eSIM profile of the locksetting information.

When it is determined that network lock occurs in the electronic device101, the electronic device 101 may stop downloading the eSIM profile inoperation 609. According to one embodiment, when the lock settinginformation includes information about network operators which may locka network, the electronic device 101 may specify a network operatorthrough the identification information, and may stop downloading theeSIM profile when the specified network operator is included in thenetwork operators which may lock a network of the lock settinginformation. According to one embodiment, when the lock settinginformation includes information about network operators which allowdownload of the eSIM profile, the electronic device 101 may specify anetwork operator through the identification information, and may stopdownloading the eSIM profile when the specified network operator is notincluded in the network operators which allow download of the eSIMprofile of the lock setting information.

FIG. 7A illustrates a flowchart 700 of an electronic device 101 forupdating an MNO list based on information about an MNO received from asecond server according to various embodiments. FIG. 7B illustrates ascreen of an electronic device 101 for installing a subscriber profileaccording to various embodiments. The subject of operations in theflowchart 700 illustrated in FIG. 7A may be understood as the electronicdevice 101 or a component (e.g., the processor 410) of the electronicdevice 101.

Referring to FIG. 7A, in operation 701, the electronic device 101 (e.g.,the processor 410) may receive information about a mobile networkoperator (MNO) from the second server (e.g., 470 in FIG. 4). Forexample, before accessing a first server 460 (e.g., the SM-DP 230 ofFIG. 2) and downloading an eSIM profile of the electronic device 101,the electronic device 101 may request the information about the MNO fromthe second server 470. The second server 470 may transmit theinformation about the MNO to the electronic device 101 in response tothe request for the information about the MNO from the electronic device101. The information about the MNO may include information about networkoperators. For example, the information about the MNO may include atleast one of an ICCID, an MCC, an MNC, GID1, and/or GID2. According tovarious embodiments, before the eSIM profile is generated, theelectronic device 101 may request the information about the MNO from thesecond server 470 and may receive the information about the MNO from thesecond server 470.

In operation 703, the electronic device 101 may extract identificationinformation from the received information about the MNO. Theidentification information may be information for identifying a networkoperator and may include, for example, at least one of an MCC, an MNC,GID1, and/or GID2. According to one embodiment, when the informationabout the MNO includes the ICCID, the MCC, the MNC, GID1 and/or GID2 maybe extracted from the ICCID.

In operation 705, the electronic device 101 may determine whethernetwork lock occurs in the electronic device 101 based on the extractedidentification information. For example, the electronic device 101 maycompare the identification information with lock setting informationpreviously stored in the electronic device 101, thereby checking whethernetwork lock occurs in the electronic device 101. The lock settinginformation may include information about network operators which maylock a network or information about network operators which allowdownload of the eSIM profile. For example, the lock setting informationmay include at least one of an MCC, an MNC, GID1 and/or GID2. Accordingto various embodiments, the electronic device 101 may determine whethernetwork lock occurs in the electronic device 101 based on the receivedinformation about the MNO.

In operation 707, the electronic device 101 may update an MNO list. TheMNO list may be a list of at least one network operator which locks anetwork or a list of at least one network operator which allows downloadof the eSIM profile. Referring to FIG. 7B, the electronic device 101 maydisplay a screen 710 including the updated MNO list on a display 440.The updated MNO list may include a plurality of MNOs 711, 712, and 713.According to one embodiment, when the updated MNO list is a listallowing download of the eSIM profile, upon detecting an input for oneof the plurality of MNOs 711, 712, and 713, the electronic device 101may make a network subscription request to a server of the MNO.According to one embodiment, when the updated MNO list is a listallowing download of the eSIM profile, upon detecting an input for oneof the plurality of MNOs 711, 712, and 713, the electronic device 101may make a request to download a corresponding eSIM profile to the firstserver 460.

According to various embodiments, when the MNO list is a list of atleast one network operator which locks a network and the lock settinginformation includes information about network operators which lock anetwork, the electronic device 101 may specify a network operator basedon the identification information, and may add the specified networkoperator to the MNO list when the specified network operator is includedin the lock setting information. The electronic device 101 may specify anetwork operator based on the identification information, and may removethe specified network operator from the MNO list when the specifiednetwork operator is not included in the lock setting information.

According to various embodiments, when the MNO list is a list of atleast one network operator which locks a network and the lock settinginformation includes information about network operators which allowdownload of the eSIM profile, the electronic device 101 may specify anetwork operator based on the identification information, and may removethe specified network operator from the MNO list when the specifiednetwork operator is included in the lock setting information. Theelectronic device 101 may specify a network operator based on theidentification information, and may add the specified network operatorto the MNO list when the specified network operator is not included inthe lock setting information.

According to various embodiments, when the MNO list is a list of atleast one network operator which allows download of the eSIM profile andthe lock setting information includes information about networkoperators which lock a network, the electronic device 101 may specify anetwork operator based on the identification information, and may removethe specified network operator from the MNO list when the specifiednetwork operator is included in the lock setting information. Theelectronic device 101 may specify a network operator based on theidentification information, and may add the specified network operatorto the MNO list when the specified network operator is not included inthe lock setting information.

According to various embodiments, when the MNO list is a list of atleast one network operator which allows download of the eSIM profile andthe lock setting information includes information about networkoperators which allow download of the eSIM profile, the electronicdevice 101 may specify a network operator based on the identificationinformation, and may add the specified network operator to the MNO listwhen the specified network operator is included in the lock settinginformation. The electronic device 101 may specify a network operatorbased on the identification information, and may remove the specifiednetwork operator from the MNO list when the specified network operatoris not included in the lock setting information.

FIG. 8A illustrates a flowchart 800 of an electronic device 101 fordisplaying a warning about installing a subscriber profile according tovarious embodiments. FIG. 8B illustrates a screen of an electronicdevice 101 for installing a subscriber profile according to variousembodiments. The subject of operations in the flowchart 800 illustratedin FIG. 8A may be understood as the electronic device 101 or a component(e.g., the processor 410) of the electronic device 101. FIG. 8A shows anexample of an interface operation of the electronic device 101 forinstalling a subscriber profile.

Referring to FIG. 8A, in operation 801, the electronic device 101 (e.g.,the processor 410) may detect an input to download an eSIM profile. Forexample, when a user inputs download of an eSIM profile to theelectronic device 101, the electronic device 101 may detect the input todownload the eSIM profile. When detecting the input to download the eSIMprofile, the electronic device 101 may make a request to download theeSIM profile to a first server 460. According to various embodiments,when a subscription to a network operator is made, the electronic device101 may receive an input to download an eSIM profile from a server ofthe network operator.

In operation 803, the electronic device 101 may identify whetherdownload of the eSIM profile is allowed. According to one embodiment,upon making the request to download the eSIM profile to the first server460, the electronic device 101 may receive metadata about the eSIMprofile from the first server 460 and may identify whether download ofthe eSIM profile is allowed based on the received metadata.

When it is identified that download of the eSIM profile is allowed, theelectronic device 101 may download the eSIM profile in operation 805.

When it is identified that download of the eSIM profile is not allowed,the electronic device 101 may display a warning message on a display 440in operation 807. For example, referring to FIG. 8B, upon identifyingthat download of the eSIM profile is not allowed, the electronic device101 may display a screen 820 including a warning message 821 on thedisplay 440. The warning message 821 may be a text message, for example,“The network is unavailable if you download the eSIM. Do you want tocontinue downloading?”.

In operation 809, the electronic device 101 may identify whetherdownload of the eSIM profile is approved. Referring to FIG. 8B, when theelectronic device 101 detects an input to approve 822 download of theeSIM by the user, the electronic device 101 may proceed to operation 805and may download the eSIM profile. When the electronic device 101detects an input to disapprove 823 download of the eSIM profile by theuser, the electronic device 101 may terminate the procedure.

The electronic device according to various embodiments may be one ofvarious types of electronic devices. The electronic devices may include,for example, a portable communication device (e.g., a smartphone), acomputer device, a portable multimedia device, a portable medicaldevice, a camera, a wearable device, or a home appliance. According toan embodiment of the disclosure, the electronic devices are not limitedto those described above.

It should be appreciated that various embodiments of the presentdisclosure and the terms used therein are not intended to limit thetechnological features set forth herein to particular embodiments andinclude various changes, equivalents, or replacements for acorresponding embodiment. With regard to the description of thedrawings, similar reference numerals may be used to refer to similar orrelated elements. It is to be understood that a singular form of a nouncorresponding to an item may include one or more of the things, unlessthe relevant context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, eachof such phrases as “A or B,” “at least one of A and B,” “at least one ofA or B,” “A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” and “at least oneof A, B, or C,” may include any one of, or all possible combinations ofthe items enumerated together in a corresponding one of the phrases. Asused herein, such terms as “1st” and “2nd,” or “first” and “second” maybe used to simply distinguish a corresponding component from another,and does not limit the components in other aspect (e.g., importance ororder). It is to be understood that if an element (e.g., a firstelement) is referred to, with or without the term “operatively” or“communicatively”, as “coupled with,” “coupled to,” “connected with,” or“connected to” another element (e.g., a second element), it means thatthe element may be coupled with the other element directly (e.g.,wiredly), wirelessly, or via a third element.

As used herein, the term “module” may include a unit implemented inhardware, software, or firmware, and may interchangeably be used withother terms, for example, “logic,” “logic block,” “part,” or“circuitry”. A module may be a single integral component, or a minimumunit or part thereof, adapted to perform one or more functions. Forexample, according to an embodiment, the module may be implemented in aform of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

Various embodiments as set forth herein may be implemented as software(e.g., the program 140) including one or more instructions that arestored in a storage medium (e.g., internal memory 136 or external memory138) that is readable by a machine (e.g., the electronic device 101).For example, a processor (e.g., the processor 120) of the machine (e.g.,the electronic device 101) may invoke at least one of the one or moreinstructions stored in the storage medium, and execute it, with orwithout using one or more other components under the control of theprocessor. This allows the machine to be operated to perform at leastone function according to the at least one instruction invoked. The oneor more instructions may include a code generated by a complier or acode executable by an interpreter. The machine-readable storage mediummay be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Wherein,the term “non-transitory” simply means that the storage medium is atangible device, and does not include a signal (e.g., an electromagneticwave), but this term does not differentiate between where data issemi-permanently stored in the storage medium and where the data istemporarily stored in the storage medium.

According to an embodiment, a method according to various embodiments ofthe disclosure may be included and provided in a computer programproduct. The computer program product may be traded as a product betweena seller and a buyer. The computer program product may be distributed inthe form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc readonly memory (CD-ROM)), or be distributed (e.g., downloaded or uploaded)online via an application store (e.g., PlayStore™), or between two userdevices (e.g., smart phones) directly. If distributed online, at leastpart of the computer program product may be temporarily generated or atleast temporarily stored in the machine-readable storage medium, such asmemory of the manufacturer's server, a server of the application store,or a relay server.

According to various embodiments, each component (e.g., a module or aprogram) of the above-described components may include a single entityor multiple entities. According to various embodiments, one or more ofthe above-described components may be omitted, or one or more othercomponents may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality ofcomponents (e.g., modules or programs) may be integrated into a singlecomponent. In such a case, according to various embodiments, theintegrated component may still perform one or more functions of each ofthe plurality of components in the same or similar manner as they areperformed by a corresponding one of the plurality of components beforethe integration. According to various embodiments, operations performedby the module, the program, or another component may be carried outsequentially, in parallel, repeatedly, or heuristically, or one or moreof the operations may be executed in a different order or omitted, orone or more other operations may be added.

Although the present disclosure has been described with variousembodiments, various changes and modifications may be suggested to oneskilled in the art. It is intended that the present disclosure encompasssuch changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An operating method of an electronic device, themethod comprising: obtaining network operator-related information;identifying whether download of an embedded subscriber identity module(eSIM) profile is allowed based on the network operator-relatedinformation; and downloading the eSIM profile when download of the eSIMprofile is allowed.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining ofthe network operator-related information comprises: requesting todownload the eSIM profile of the electronic device from a first server;and receiving the network operator-related information corresponding tothe eSIM profile from the first server.
 3. The method of claim 1,wherein the obtaining of the network operator-related informationcomprises: requesting the network operator-related informationcorresponding to the eSIM profile of the electronic device from a secondserver; and receiving the network operator-related information from thesecond server.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the networkoperator-related information comprises at least one of metadata of theeSIM profile, a mobile country code (MCC), a mobile network code (MNC),a group identifier (GID), or an integrated circuit card identifier(ICCID).
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying whetherdownload of the eSIM profile is allowed comprises: extractingidentification information for identifying a specific operator from thenetwork operator-related information; and identifying whether downloadof the eSIM profile is allowed based on the identification information.6. The method of claim 5, wherein the identifying whether download ofthe eSIM profile is allowed based on the identification informationcomprises identifying whether download of the eSIM profile is allowedbased on whether the identification information is comprised in locksetting information in the electronic device, and the lock settinginformation comprises information about at least one network operatorthat causes network lock in the electronic device.
 7. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising: stopping the eSIM profile from downloadingwhen download of the eSIM profile is not allowed.
 8. The method of claim1, further comprising: displaying a warning message on the electronicdevice when download of the eSIM profile is not allowed.
 9. The methodof claim 1, further comprising: adding a network operator that allowsdownload of the eSIM profile to an MNO list stored in advance in theelectronic device when download of the eSIM profile is allowed.
 10. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: removing a network operator thatdoes not allow download of the eSIM profile from an MNO list stored inadvance in the electronic device when download of the eSIM profile isnot allowed.
 11. An electronic device comprising: a display; acommunication unit; and a processor configured to be operativelyconnected with the display and the communication unit, wherein theprocessor is configured to: obtain network operator-related information;identify whether download of an embedded subscriber identity module(eSIM) profile is allowed based on the network operator-relatedinformation; and download the eSIM profile when download of the eSIMprofile is allowed.
 12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein theprocessor is configured to: request to download the eSIM profile of theelectronic device from a first server; and receive the networkoperator-related information corresponding to the eSIM profile from thefirst server.
 13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein theprocessor is configured to: request the network operator-relatedinformation corresponding to the eSIM profile of the electronic devicefrom a second server; and receive the network operator-relatedinformation from the second server.
 14. The electronic device of claim11, wherein the network operator-related information comprises at leastone of metadata of the eSIM profile, a mobile country code (MCC), amobile network code (MNC), a group identifier (GID), or an integratedcircuit card identifier (ICCID).
 15. The electronic device of claim 11,wherein the processor is configured to extract identificationinformation for identifying a specific operator from the networkoperator-related information.
 16. The electronic device of claim 15,wherein the processor is configured to identify whether download of theeSIM profile is allowed based on whether the identification informationis comprised in lock setting information in the electronic device, andthe lock setting information comprises information about at least onenetwork operator that causes network lock in the electronic device. 17.The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor is configuredto stop the eSIM profile from downloading when download of the eSIMprofile is not allowed.
 18. The electronic device of claim 11, whereinthe processor is configured to display a warning message on theelectronic device when download of the eSIM profile is not allowed. 19.The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor is configuredto add a network operator that allows download of the eSIM profile to anMNO list stored in advance in the electronic device when download of theeSIM profile is allowed.
 20. The electronic device of claim 11, whereinthe processor is configured to remove a network operator that does notallow download of the eSIM profile from an MNO list stored in advance inthe electronic device when download of the eSIM profile is not allowed.